Dying Bolero, what are my options?

[owangen]

Hello
I'm living in Norway and have a Skoda Octavia 3 2014 with Bolero MIB1.
I have struggled with my Bolero radio for some time now. It sometimes turns off automatically, and this "feature" have come more frequent in the last. So I'm starting to look at my options to deal with this issue. I don't have any VCDS tool, but I have electronic and soldering experience, so repair myself could be an option if that is doable.

 

These are my options, as far as I can see:

1. Repair Bolero main unit at dealer. I haven't booked with my local Skoda dealer yet, but I guess this "repair" will end up replacing the whole system (both main unit and screen). This option will be costly.
2. Repair main unit myself. From what I read on the forum, it's not uncommon that the main unit fails. I guess there is something wrong with the power supply. But since I haven't seen any tips or guides what to look for, this option may be time consuming and I'm probably not able to fix it my self.
3. Buy a used main unit Panasonic 5e0035842a ( from ebay eg. this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2014-Skoda-Octavia-2013-To-2017-Radio-SD-CD-Player-5E0035842A/202203068403?hash=item2f143df7f3:g:ARQAAOSwUg9aab5g). This maybe is the cheapest option. But I'm unsure how plug and play it is. I read about component protection and I'm unsure what that will affect me, and eventually what I need to do to fix it.
4. Replace with precoded Amundsen or Columbus. (Eg. this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Octavia-3-Columbus-MIB-2-5-2018-Model-Year-UNLOCKED/202233480673?epid=2261923537&hash=item2f160e05e1:g:~JMAAOSwH35ZmryF) Maybe this is plug and play. It's ofcourse fun to upgrade to better system and get more features.
5. Buy used Amundsen or Columbus from scrapyard. Buy a used system from a crashed car could be an option. But then again there is CP and coding. Unsure what I can to with that or what it will cost.
6. Buy some Android system from Aliexpress? Eg. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/WITH-CANBUS-Free-shipping-10-2-Car-gps-for-SKODA-OCTAVIA-2015-Quadcore-Android-4-4/32632810261.html Unsure if this is a standalone product or if it needs to be connected to the main unit. I need to have TPMS and canbus working and are unsure if Android radio is a good fit.

 

What do you recommend me to do?

Edited 25 May, 2018 by owangen

[ScoutCJB]

I dont know how good the Android units are -- the cheaper ones are cheap for a reason i believe.  If it was me I would either look for a used Bolero or Columbus. 

[Rodge]

Have you checked the connections on the back? It's been reported here that sometimes just reseating the connections (unplugging and then plugging them back in again) can fix some faults. It appears that sometimes they can come loose.

[seanbrady49]

3 hours ago, owangen said:

Hello
I'm living in Norway and have a Skoda Octavia 3 2014 with Bolero MIB1.
I have struggled with my Bolero radio for some time now. It sometimes turns off automatically, and this "feature" have come more frequent in the last. So I'm starting to look at my options to deal with this issue. I don't have any VCDS tool, but I have electronic and soldering experience, so repair myself could be an option if that is doable.

 

These are my options, as far as I can see:

1. Repair Bolero main unit at dealer. I haven't booked with my local Skoda dealer yet, but I guess this "repair" will end up replacing the whole system (both main unit and screen). This option will be costly.
2. Repair main unit myself. From what I read on the forum, it's not uncommon that the main unit fails. I guess there is something wrong with the power supply. But since I haven't seen any tips or guides what to look for, this option may be time consuming and I'm probably not able to fix it my self.
3. Buy a used main unit Panasonic 5e0035842a ( from ebay eg. this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2014-Skoda-Octavia-2013-To-2017-Radio-SD-CD-Player-5E0035842A/202203068403?hash=item2f143df7f3:g:ARQAAOSwUg9aab5g). This maybe is the cheapest option. But I'm unsure how plug and play it is. I read about component protection and I'm unsure what that will affect me, and eventually what I need to do to fix it.
4. Replace with precoded Amundsen or Columbus. (Eg. this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Octavia-3-Columbus-MIB-2-5-2018-Model-Year-UNLOCKED/202233480673?epid=2261923537&hash=item2f160e05e1:g:~JMAAOSwH35ZmryF) Maybe this is plug and play. It's ofcourse fun to upgrade to better system and get more features.
5. Buy used Amundsen or Columbus from scrapyard. Buy a used system from a crashed car could be an option. But then again there is CP and coding. Unsure what I can to with that or what it will cost.
6. Buy some Android system from Aliexpress? Eg. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/WITH-CANBUS-Free-shipping-10-2-Car-gps-for-SKODA-OCTAVIA-2015-Quadcore-Android-4-4/32632810261.html Unsure if this is a standalone product or if it needs to be connected to the main unit. I need to have TPMS and canbus working and are unsure if Android radio is a good fit.

 

What do you recommend me to do?

selling my MIB 1 on Ebay Sat nav unit

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332661433590?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

 

if your intrested

[seanbrady49]

Also CP protection can be removed by you're dealer, they can also code for you too.

[seanbrady49]

or ask @pab567 , he might be able to help!

he sorted the upgrade unit for me.

[petecollier]

2 hours ago, seanbrady49 said:

Also CP protection can be removed by you're dealer, they can also code for you too.

 

I can imagine a dealer would if you bought the new ICE unit from them at a vastly over-inflated price, but otherwise? Quite apart from pouting about the lost sale, and liability issues if the thing later breaks down, don't they run the risk of unwittingly legitimising a unit with dubious origins that someone has bought of ebay or where ever?

[seanbrady49]

2 minutes ago, petecollier said:

 

I can imagine a dealer would if you bought the new ICE unit from them at a vastly over-inflated price, but otherwise? Quite apart from pouting about the lost sale, and liability issues if the thing later breaks down, don't they run the risk of unwittingly legitimising a unit with dubious origins that someone has bought of ebay or where ever?

@SashaGrace got CP taken off by her dealer, unit was got from a breaker,and the inflated price for the newer units on ebay include cp removal and coded for the car its going into, also units are checked at the dealers to ensure they are not blacklisted (stolen).

[SashaGrace]

As above, my dealer did it for me. The caveat is that the unit gets coded to the car you are putting it in. I now have a MIB2 Amundsen from a crashed Octy Scout in my car and even the original MIB1 Bolero radio the car had from new wouldn’t work in it anymore as CP is active on that now. Skoda dealers will code the radio to work in the car you are putting it in, they won’t disable CP totally.

[owangen]

13 hours ago, Rodge said:

Have you checked the connections on the back?

 

My radio was actually completely dead after some months with struggling. I was 100% sure that the fuse had gone, so I didn't bother to check. Since it was dead I thought I could take the mainunit out and open it. So I did, but nothing unusual to see. I assembled back together and when mounted the cables it, to my surprise, showed sign of life with light. I actually started working again. But the next day it powered itself off, and produced this strange bass beat. (I have video proof of this phenomenon :-) ). 

The player is partly working now, beside turning off sometimes. 

What is the main suspect cable to check? Not sure what the different cables are. 

Edited 26 May, 2018 by owangen

[Gromle]

Shouldnt this be covered by the warranty?

Unless its an import, the warranty is 5 years.

[owangen]

On 26.5.2018 at 04:55, Gromle said:

Shouldnt this be covered by the warranty?

Unless its an import, the warranty is 5 years.

It has 4 years warranty from factory, since it's imported. It started to fail while under warranty, but only happened a couple of times, so I didn't contact the dealer. 

[owangen]

On 26.5.2018 at 04:55, Gromle said:

Shouldnt this be covered by the warranty?

Unless its an import, the warranty is 5 years.

It has 4 years warranty from factory, since it's imported. It started to fail while under warranty, but only happened a couple of times, so I didn't contact the dealer. 

[owangen]

Thanks for the answers, I will contact the dealer here in Norway and hear what they need for recode the CP before I do anything. I guess they need a proof of purchase of the new radio that they trust. 

Edited 27 May, 2018 by owangen

[Gromle]

Please share what you find out. 

Would love to get a mib2 unit in mine.